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Is the Vickers hardness data fluctuating? 10 minute device self check process, put away
2026-07-10
Does Vickers hardness testing often experience data drift, poor repeatability, and inaccurate retesting? Most people think it's a device malfunction, but in fact, 90% of it's due to inadequate operation, placement, cleaning, and calibration.
Today, I would like to share with you a 10 minute quick self check process, which can be directly applied to daily startup and data anomalies to quickly solve the problem of fluctuating data.
1、 Four core reasons for data fluctuations
1. The indentation is skewed
Problem: The indentation of the square is asymmetric and the corners are tilted, directly causing diagonal measurement errors.
Reason: Impurities on the stage, skewed sample placement, dust accumulation on the indenter, and inaccurate focusing.
Solution: Clean the table before testing, place the sample flat, without hanging or tilting.
2. Unstable load
Problem: Loading lag, inconsistent speed, inconsistent depth of compression, and data deviation exceeding the standard.
Reason: Equipment is stuck due to dust accumulation, screws are loose, and the load has not been calibrated for a long time.
Solution: Regularly clean the transmission structure, observe whether the loading is stable, and stop the machine for re inspection in a timely manner if there are any abnormalities.
3. Uneven bottom surface of the sample
Problem: Only throw on the surface, ignoring burrs, bumps, and debris on the bottom surface, causing slight shaking and displacement of the sample during loading.
Solution: Clean the burrs on the bottom surface, level the uneven samples with shims, and ensure full fit on the tabletop.
4. The objective lens is dirty
Problem: Dust and residual polishing solution cause blurry lenses, unclear indentation edges, and inaccurate measurements.
Solution: Do not touch the lens with your hands, only use lens paper to gently wipe and keep the lens clean.
2、 10 minute standard calibration steps
Unstable data, daily startup, quickly calibrate according to the following steps to determine if the equipment accuracy is qualified:
1. Preheating and cleaning: Preheat for 3-5 minutes after turning on the machine, clean the stage, pressure head, and lens.
2. Matching hardness blocks: Select corresponding standard blocks according to the hardness range of the workpiece, confirm that they are within their validity period and undamaged.
3. Five point test: Uniformly measure 5 points in the effective area of the standard block, avoiding edges and eliminating edge effect interference.
4. Result judgment: The data is within the standard block error range=the device is normal; Out of tolerance=equipment needs calibration and maintenance.
5. Ledger retention: Record calibration data for traceability.
3、 Testing and leveling techniques for thin parts/coatings
Thin sheets, coatings, and small parts are prone to pressure deviation, pressure penetration, and data drift. Use these three methods directly:
1. Eliminate suspension: Small items must be fixed with fixtures/flat washers, and there should be no shaking throughout the entire process.
2. Embedding leveling: Ultra thin coating and micro parts are prioritized for cold inlaying, with a flat bottom surface and uniform force distribution to prevent tilt errors.
3. Standardized measuring points: Select a small load microscopy mode, avoid edges and chamfers, and conduct testing at the center of the flat coating.
The Vickers hardness data is unstable, mostly due to insufficient details. Persisting in a 10 minute power on self-test and standardized maintenance can basically solve most of the problems of numerical drift and retesting failure.
